A new era for Doctor Who is beginning with a new companion — and a revamped TARDIS.

There are just a few more days until the Christmas special of Doctor Who airs — a Victorian adventure introducing a new companion, Clara (played by Jenna-Louise Coleman), and featuring killer snowmen from outer space — and if previous Christmas specials are anything to go on, it will be tremendous fun.

The episode will also have a revamp for the Doctor's deceptively humble-looking time machine. A new image, showing actor Matt Smith posing in Victorian attire, revealed that the brassy, steampunk interior we've loved is gone — replaced with something that might look at home in Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

The old TARDIS. Click to open full-size in a new tab.
(Credit: BBC)

It's an odd mix. The wall panelling and porthole-like lights look like something out of a sci-fi show, but the control panels resemble something you might expect to find in an antique submarine. The main room has also been scaled right back — again recalling the claustrophobic confines of a deep-sea vessel. It's interesting, but it certainly lacks the grandeur of the previous iteration.

We'll be interested to see what this means for the rest of the seventh season, which is due to start re-airing in April 2013.

What do you think?

The Doctor Who Christmas special "The Snowmen" is due to air on 25 December 2012.